UK professor teaches unique lesson after stranger saves her life

Some Fine Arts students at the University of Kentucky put their instruments down today to learn a life saving lesson.

UK professor, Deborah Lander stood before her class today demonstrating her passion and talent playing the viola.

It's hard to imagine that just eight months ago, she almost died while walking in downtown Lexington.

"I had a sudden cardiac arrest. Which meant that my heart went into fibrillation, like an abnormal rhythm. And I hit the ground. And fortunately, somebody and I don't know who it is, came along and gave me CPR and called 911, " says Lander.

Doctors at UK say that she could have had serious brain damage, if that stranger hadn't stepped in. Lander switched lesson plans from viola to teach her students CPR.

"I mean I think how important it is that people know how to do CPR and that they know when to do it, I think is the crucial thing as well," says Lander.

"After learning how to do it and what all goes along with it, I'm very much more informed than I was," says Sarah Grindle, Lander's student.

Lander is living proof that these simple steps are capable of saving a life, "I've been incredibly fortunate you know just being able to speak, play the viola. It's been like nothing happened. So it's been very lucky."

Lander will be returning to the stage for a performance this weekend for the first time since she went into cardiac arrest.

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